Save Our Communities

Save Our Communities: Books Not Bombs, Jobs Not Jails, Families Not Foreclosures
April 15 and 16, Cleveland, Ohio

10 Reasons to Participate in the April 15 and 16 Parade, Evening of Music and Culture, and Community Education/Action Forum:

1. “Flash Mob” Paraders and Possibilitarian Puppet Theater
Join the fun and in-your-face frolicking on Friday, April 15 (Tax Day) of “mobsters” and puppeteers decked out with umbrellas and who knows what else roaming Public Square unleashing their message of bringing war tax dollars home and related themes on unsuspecting Cleveland commuters. No “parading mobster” experience required to participate. If interested, show up to Old Stone Church at 4 PM.

2. Evening of Music and Culture -- Bring Our War Dollars Home!
6PM – 9PM. Old Stone Church, Public Square. Performers include: Ian Heisey, Kate Sopko, Robin Pease-Kerr, Shakka Hasberry, Sue Jeffers, Triage band, Zach. Free! Food. What’s not to like?!

3. Friday Night Mayhem
Between acts at Old Stone Church, get ready for games, quizzes and other educational oddities that show where our tax dollars are spent, should be spent, and could be saved. Learn what you can do to cut military spending and invest in human and environmental 
needs.

4. April 16 Community Education/Action Forum Registration is Now Just 10 Bucks!
Come to Trinity Cathedral for a day of education, action and food (lunch and snacks included). At this price, it’s way more expensive (and boring) to stay home.

5. Bill Fletcher
Fletcher is the April 16 Community Forum keynote speaker. Fletcher is a longtime labor, racial justice and international activist. He’s the executive editor of The Black Commentator web magazine and founder of the Center for Labor Renewal, the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum , a national non-profit organization that organizes, educates and advocates for justice for the peoples of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. He is also a founder of the Black Radical Congress and a senior scholar for the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. Fletcher is the co-author of Solidarity Divided, The Crisis in Organized Labor and A New Path Toward Social Justice. He was formerly the vice president for international trade union development at the AFL-CIO’s George Meany Center. He also served as education director and assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO.

6. Workshops. Workshops. Workshops.
The Community Forum will have 3 sessions devoted to education and action workshops. Topics include foreign policy, military spending, poverty reduction, foreclosures, criminal justice, monetary reform, peace in the Middle East, nonviolence, street actions, campaign organizing, and more.

7. Meet New People
There will be ample opportunities to meet new people both Friday and Saturday from different places with different interests and experiences.

8. Taking Action
Save Our Communities isn’t about shooting the breeze. It’s about taking action for change – building social movements and putting pressure on our elected representatives at the federal and state level. There will be multiple offerings for every person to act in whatever way(s) they feel comfortable.

9. These events are the places to be at on Tax Day weekend!
Send a message that it’s time to have sane and humane federal and state budget priorities that help people, communities and the environment.

10. To gain more tools to be more effective leaders.
The truth is the politicians and corporate CEOs aren’t going to lead the way for changing our budget priorities. When have they ever? It has to be us. That means coming together and developing our visions and plans for the change we want to see.

ATTEND FRIDAY NIGHT PARADE AND MUSICIAL/CULTURAL EVENTS

REGISTER FOR SATURDAY COMMUNITY FORUM. Register at http://peaceactioncleveland.org/registration

COMPLETE APRIL 15-16 INFORMATION: http://peaceactioncleveland.org/april15

QUESTIONS: email saveourcommunitiesforum@gmail.com

See you on April 15 and 16!